Timothy Forbes of Springfield, accused of biting off part of basketball coach's ear, too dangerous to be released, judge rules

SPRINGFIELD – Despite an impassioned argument from his defense lawyer, Timothy Forbes will still be held without right to bail, Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page ruled Tuesday.

Page said there are no conditions under which Forbes – accused of biting off part of the ear of a youth basketball coach – can be released without posing a danger to the victim, the victim’s family and the general public.

The charges faced by Forbes, 34, of 62 Catherine St., are mayhem, assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and assault and battery.

The attack on Jose Feliciano, who coached the winning team at the Holy Name School on Alderman Street, happened when players were in a line shaking hands after the game March 9.

Vincent A. Bongiorni, Forbes’ lawyer, told Page in his argument Monday his client has always obeyed all restraining orders, each of which were only in place for a short time, against him.

“You have a gentlemen who in the past has demonstrated his ability to obey court orders,” Bongiorni said, arguing for Forbes release with an order to stay away from the victim and other conditions.

Two of Forbes’ children, ages 12 and 13, were in the courtroom for the hearing, he said.

All three of the women who took out restraining orders against Forbes in the past “are here today,” Bongiorni said, either in person or by way of letter to say they do not fear Forbes.

Those included Forbes’ mother, who was in the courtroom, and the mothers of two of Forbes’ five children.

Bongiorni challenged the prosecution’s ability to prove all the charges against Forbes.

Bongiorni said, “Sure Mr. Feliciano and Mr. Forbes were involved in an argument – altercation – and there’s a small portion of Mr. Feliciano’s ear missing, but that’s not the true barometer of whether or not Mr. Forbes will obey a court order.”

“We expect when this case goes to trial there are going to be some issues with respect to Mr. Feliciano’s conduct. I’m not going to get into them at this point,” he said.

Assistant District Attorney Max Bennett said witnesses to the incident testified the attack on Feliciano was completely unprovoked.

Bennett pointed to “the sudden nature” of the biting and the setting of “a gymnasium filled with school-age children.”

Bennett said Forbes has a hair trigger temper.

“He can go off in a gym filled with children – what happens if someone cuts him off on the way home,” Bennett said.

Bongiorni said there is no instance where Forbes has had a problem with strangers.